BREAKING NEWS: Eddie Howe expresses his opinions about Dan Ashworth’s replacement following Manchester United’s acquisition.
Eddie Howe has made it plain that Dan Ashworth’s replacement at Newcastle United needs to be a “long-term” hire, as the current sports director is set to leave after just 20 months.
This week, things have become clearer after Ashworth told the Magpies that he was leaving to pursue new opportunities and after Manchester United’s new minority owner publicly voiced his displeasure at the duration of the gardening leave that was scheduled. Howe did not compliment the leaving Newcastle manager on Friday, but he did express his desire for Ashworth’s replacement to have a long-term commitment to their work at St James’ Park.
Howe told reporters on Friday, “Ideally, you are in that role for a long period of time.” It’s similar to managing a school; you won’t see the fruits of your labor for many years because you’re setting things up. That is equivalent to a director of sports. Ideally, it’s a longer-term position.
“We’ll talk about the role and how I see it, but I don’t think I’ll be involved in the decision-making process.” In the end, hopefully, we find the best answer for the club, since ideally the next person will be there for a long time and will be able to steer it in the way that all of us want it to go.
“It’s not my right to make that decision, but certainly the inner workings and making sure we have good relationships with people, that certainly helps the process, and I think that’s probably more important than anything.”
Even though Ashworth’s eventual successor selection process is expected to take some time, supporters have been discussing a number of potential candidates in recent days. This is because Newcastle is unlikely to hurry the process along while the former Brighton player is still officially employed on Tyneside.
Howe has made a consistent effort to minimize the impact the Ashworth news has had on his club, saying that his only concern is preparing his men for the upcoming game. When the time comes, though, the manager will share his thoughts on the club’s hiring of a new sporting director.
“That’s not my decision,” Howe responded when questioned about his preference for the future. “The club will take a seat, evaluate everything that has transpired thus far, and work to strike the correct balance going forward.
“In my perspective, I’ll let the club know what I think at that moment. Making wise decisions is essential to ensuring that we function as efficiently as possible for the longest amount of time.”
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